Yogyakarta: A Jolt of Java

At the top of Borobodur, the world's biggest Buddhist stupa.


Prambanan Temples (Hindu).

"Each island in Indonesia is like a different country."
--Keetie, a Dutch traveler in Myanmar (Burma)

The hard part about traveling in Indonesia is figuring out where to go. There are over 17,000 islands and endless variety. Many cultures on these islands evolved in isolation from each other, with their own distinct languages, customs, and religions. Its strategic location as a trading post also brought in a host of influences from its major merchant partners, such as China, India, and countries in the Middle East.

Indonesia is the epitome of diversity. At the western end you have Aceh, which is governed by shariah law, strict fundamentalist Muslim principles. Down east there's Bali, one of Southeast Asia's premier cultural and partying hot spots.

I decided on seeing temples, and focused on going to Yogyakarta (pronounced "Jogjakarta" or "Jogja" for short). It had the final 2 spots on my temple hit list: Borobodur and Prambanan. For some reason, I felt compelled to see all the great temples of Southeast Asia. Angkor Wat alone wasn't enough.

My first impression of Indonesia was that it was very poor, like the Philippines, but the people were very cheerful and gregarious, also like the Philippines. The main difference is the Philippines is Catholic, due to its history as a Spanish colony.

After seeing so many countries in Southeast Asia, I can see which ones are more similar to each other. Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia have much in common. Vietnam is closer to mainland China in spirit. Malaysia and Singapore share a lot of heritage. Myanmar (Burma) feels utterly unique.




Downtown Yogyakarta, the nicest part of town.

Yogyakarta reminded me of Myanmar in one sense: it's a tourist destination without tourists. There are guesthouses, restaurants, and tour companies, but not a lot of travelers. Maybe it's because I went in the low season, but I can't imagine Borobudur being as big a draw as Angkor Wat is.

I was lucky to befriend two cool young Canadians, Peter and Jacqueline. They had traveled all over Indonesia, and were happy to share their tips. I imagine this was how information was shared on the road, before the Internet. You had to meet people coming back from where you're going, and ask them what's up.


Peter and Jacqueline at Superman Restaurant.

Now that I've done the full circuit of temples in Southeast Asia, I can comment on them better.

Bagan in Myanmar is easily my favorite, as it's the most isolated and the main temples are quite different from each other. The barren landscape made it feel like a lost city. It was the first major temple complex I'd seen in Southeast Asia, so it had a greater impact. I'd also risked my health (and my heart!) to get there.

Sukhothai in Thailand was good, and my photos came out really well. It seemed the most professionally-managed too. Almost Western-quality set-up of lights, English signs explaining each temple, etc. The lush greenery and fewer number of visitors made it feel like an oasis.

Angkor Wat was my least favorite. Rampant tourism and the temples weren't as well-preserved as the other temple complexes I'd seen. One thing I did like was that the nearby town, Siem Reap, was more fun and lively than the gateway towns for the other temple complexes. Pub Street is my favorite backpacker ghetto in Southeast Asia.

Prambanan and Borobudur to me almost felt like two halves of one giant temple. Borobudur was all foundation, and Prambanan was all spires. It almost seemed like Borobodur was the bottom half of Angkor Wat and Prambanan was the top half.

To be a little nitpicky, I don't think of Borobudur as having the world's biggest stupa. The only stupa shape is at the very top. While large, it's nowhere near as big as the Shwedagon Paya in Yangon (see photo at link). Compare the top photo in that post to the photo at the head of this post. The difference is clear.

I think my photos describe Bobobudur and Prambanan better then I can with words. The cool thing was that there were lots of local Indonesians around the temples, but few foreigners.

Prambanan photos:










Borobudur photos:














Inside Information

Getting from the airport into town

You can take a TransJogja bus from the airport to the Jalan Malioboro, the main street in the town. The bus station is a bit tricky to find, though. As soon as you get out of the airport. Go left, you'll pass airline counters on your left. At the Kentucky Fried Chicken, turn right and go into a building.

Walk through an underground passageway until you resurface into a parking lot. Look for the glass and wood TransJogja booth. The trip costs IDR3,000 takes and about 20-30 minutes. Get off at Jalan Malioboro. Before you get on, ask the attendant in the booth to tell the driver where you want to get off.

Where to stay

Merbabu Hotel. It's on a small lane off of Jalan Sosrowjiwan ("Soswro" for short), the main budget travelers' street in Yogyakarta. Get your taxi to drop you off on that road, just next to the big yellow sign for "Superman Restaurant." Walk into that alley, and eventually you'll see the hotel on your left. I spent IDR95,000 (US$9.50) a night for a big, airy room. Only cold shower, though. Free breakfast included, and it's a good breakfast. Your choice of tasty dishes like banana chocolate pancakes, fried-egg sandwiches, etc. No Internet, but there are Internet cafes around.

I love the location of the place. There are two secondhand bookstores right outside. Lots of backpacker-oriented restaurants around, too. Although I didn't like the food at Superman Restaurant.

There is a more upscale travelers' row on Jalan Prawirotaman. The hotels, restaurants, and even the main Internet cafe all seemed a lot nicer than the places on Jalan Sosrojiwan. A bit more expensive, but seems worth it. The one drawback is that it's a bit further from things.

Getting around
The best way to get around is using TransJogja bus, a modern bus rapid transit system. The buses are small, clean, air-conditioned, and much more comfortable than the full-sized public buses. The website is bare bones, but here is a link to a list of bus routes.

The closest station to Jalan Soswrojiwan is on Jalan Malioboro, across from the Yogyakarta Library Center. Usually there will be at least one attendant who can speak enough English to help you. Just tell them were you want go. Have them write down for you what buses you may have to transfer to, and the name of the bus stop you should get off at.

What to see
The main attractions in Yogyakarta are the temple complexes of Borobodur and Yogyakarta. There are tons of tour companies on Jalan Soswrojiwan who can arrange a trip to the temples for you. They're not guided tours, they only provide door-to-door transportation to the temples.

I was there during low season, so the tour companies had trouble finding enough people to launch a tour. I ended up taking crowded, dirty public buses to the temples. A tour costs about IDR50,000 (US$5.00), while public buses cost a fraction of that, with an equivalent fraction of comfort.

I found out later that I could have taken TransJogja buses to the the temples. I'd recommend this.

--To Borobudur, take Bus 2A on Malioboro and transfer to Bus 2B later, the attendant will tell you how to do this. If I remember right, you get dropped off at Jombor bus terminal and still need to take a public bus for the final leg of the journey.

When your public bus arrives in the parking lot, touts will jump aboard and try to get you to hire them to take you around in a horse carriage. They'll make up excuses that it's too far and too hot to walk to Borobudur. Ignore them. The bus stop is only about a 10-minute walk to Borobudur. They'll also try to take you to Candi Mendut and other lesser temples. In my opinion, they're not worth seeing and can't compare to Borobudur.

--To Prambanan, take Bus 1A on Malioboro. The bus stop is about a 20-30 minute walk to Prambanan. You may want to hire a motorbike driver to give you a ride there, that's what I did.

Other things to do
Via Via Cafe on Jalan Prawirotaman is a great restaurant, and also offers a number of alternative tours. From what I read in the brochure, they sounded a lot more interesting than the standard tours all the other companies offered. One of their most popular tours is to travel overland from Yogyakarta all the way to Bali island. That's "Tour 7: Overland East Java." This trip includes a journey to Mount Bromo, an active volcano.

A good source of travel information is YogYes.com, which was told to me by the excellent Peter and Jacqueline.

Entertainment
Cinema XXI is part of the Cinema 21 chain. You can get a taxi there in 15 minutes. It's a plush, luxurious cinema, and tickets only cost IDR15,000 (US$1.50)! The downside is that movies are really old, from like 1-2 years ago. When I was there, I saw a poster saying "Coming Soon! Body of Lies," the Leonardo DiCaprio spy thriller. Good movie, by the way. Peter and I went there to see Crank 2: High Voltage.

Penang: If Hawaii was Rebooted

Penang City Hall


Chinese Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin) Temple


Kapital Keling Mosque

Penang is the bizarro version of Hawaii. Both places are a blend of Western and Asian influences, except those influences are different. Hawaii is American and Japanese, while Penang is British and Chinese.

It was like being in a parallel universe. I'd wonder, "Could Hawaii have ended up like Penang?" Maybe if the British had kept control of the U.S., and if more Chinese had settled in Hawaii rather than Japanese.

After staying in the small town of Tanah Rata in the Cameron Highlands, I was happy to be in a modern city like Georgetown. It's the main city in Penang. While Melaka felt like a fairy-tale town, Georgetown had more buzz, it was a place to take care of business.

I've lost the American habit of trying to see as many sights in the shortest time. I can easily lounge around for a whole week if I feel comfortable in a place. The Americans I meet on the road are usually in the biggest rush. When I run into English, Canadian or Australian backpackers, often they've been traveling for months or years at a time.

When my hostel or guesthouse has a nice common area and cool people around, it's easy to be a sloth. I'll happily spend hours chatting with travelers. On the other hand, annoying people drive me away. For a more detailed rant, see my past blog post, Ugly Foreigners.

Back to people I want to spend time with. Sometimes I'll wait until there is a critical mass of other backpackers who are going to see sights at the same time. Then I'll join them.

I did this with Penang Hill. It's popular to take the funicular railway to the top. Similar to the Peak tram in Hong Kong that goes up Victoria Peak, it's a train that designed to go uphill.

Arif, Susan, Chris and I on the funicular train

Penang Hill is pretty and green at the top. But there isn't much to see besides a small, colorful Indian temple. The main reason to go is to see the view of Georgetown. Riding the train and chatting with fellow backpackers was the real highlight.

Most of my friendships were made at Hutton Lodge, the hostel I stayed in. We were all relieved to be somewhere modern. Malaysia is relatively under-touristed compared to nearby Thailand. Similar to its geography, Malaysia's state of development lies somewhere between Thailand and Singapore.

We had a nicely eclectic group: Susan, a Canadian backpacker and Arif, a Pakistani-American guy who worked as a financial analyst. There was also a Scottish-Estonian couple, Kris and Kadri, who were riding a motorcycle and traveling by overland to Australia. They had passed through Iran, Pakistan, and India on the way. Their stories were amazing.

Chris (Scotland), Susan (Canada), Kadri (Estonia) and Arif (United States), waiting for the funicular train.

What I liked most about the couple was how refreshingly friendly and unpretentious they were. Other travelers who get around overland the hard way can be disgustingly smug and treat people who take planes like wimps. They didn't endlessly brag about traveling to danger zones like Iran and Pakistan. And I thought I was brave for going to Burma!

The next stop was Kek Lok Si Temple. My favorite temples are the ones that are more like complexes, with lots of buildings and rooms to explore. Kek Lok Si was like this.




A groundskeeper watering the plants.


Arif meditating at a pagoda in the center of a pool.


Me posing Buddha-style.

It did have one annoying trait in common with attractions in Beijing: separate fees for every zone you walk into. The biggest rip-off was when we paid an extra fee to go to the top level, where the guidebook said there was a massive statue of Mazu. She's the Chinese patron saint of sailors and fishermen.

The statue was surrounded by metal scaffolding! We were so pissed off. I hate it when that happens! Thankfully, the front of the statue was exposed, so we could still take pictures.

Mazu statue

What was more fun, we found a small sculpture garden with statues based on animals in the Chinese zodiac. We had a blast while posing for photos with the animals that matched our horoscopes.


Susan with the Rat


Arif with the Ox


Me with the Pig. Susan thought the pig looked stressed-out and constipated.

For dinner one night, we headed to a row of Chinese shophouses near our hostel.



We ended up eating "steamboat," similar to hotpot I've eaten in China and Taiwan. The owner, a jovial Malaysian Chinese man, eagerly gave us a tour of his restaurant.


The owner explaining the dishes to Susan.

You throw vegetables and meats into a boiling pot, then eat. The main difference was that you could also fry your food around the bottom rim of the pot. But you pick and choose various condiments to make your own personal dipping sauce, just like hotpot.




Susan and Kadri dining on steamboat.

The magic ingredient is sha cha sauce. It's the ultimate savory sauce, made up of soybean oil, garlic, chillis, brill fish, and shrimp. You can dip anything in it, and it'll taste mind-blowingly good.

When my Canadian friend Brynn brought her mother to a hotpot restaurant in Taipei, her mother fell in love with the hotpot concept. She vowed to hit a Taiwanese supermarket and buy big jars of sha cha sauce to take back to Canada.

Nowadays, I take as many photos of food as I do of big sights. I'm turning into an Asian tourist!


The author, enjoying some great food.

Inside Information

Getting there

Butterworth, a boring industrial town on the Malaysia mainland, serves as the main transport hub to the island of Penang. All buses stop there and the railway ends there.

From Butterworth, you can take the ferry across to Georgetown, the main city on Penang. The ferry jetty is only a short walk from the Butterworth train and bus stations. The ferry is the best and most scenic way to go to Penang.

Once you arrive at the Weld Quay ferry jetty in Georgetown, ask around until you find the free shuttle bus. It goes from the ferry jetty to some of the popular spots in the city, including Komtar Complex (a shopping and transport hub) and Lebuh Chulia (main backpacker road).

Buses also go to Penang via a causeway bridge, but they drop you off at Sungei Nibong bus station, an unremarkable 15-minute drive from Georgetown. Stick with the ferry from Butterworth.

Where to stay

Hutton Lodge is the best hostel I've seen in Southeast Asia. Designed like a boutique hotel, it offers the charm of a colonial-style building, and the comfort of a modern hotel, at reasonable prices. When I first walked in, I was worried that the hostel was gone and it had been taken over by a luxury hotel. Hutton Lodge is that nice.

Banana New Guesthouse is a well-known place, but it's often fully booked. Very popular with Western expats doing a visa run from Thailand. I get the feeling that they make their real money from their visa services, and the cheap rooms are just a way to bring in customers.

Otherwise, it's best to walk around Lebuh Chulia and check out places in person. There are plenty of budget options.

Where to eat

Red Garden is the best hawker centre in Georgetown, with a huge selection of food. At night, there are cheesy singing and dancing performances on the main stage. Similar to the singing you see at Asian banquets and weddings.

Getting out

Penang is a good launch point to go to Thailand or Indonesia. Many guesthouses (like Banana New Guesthouse) offer visa services for both countries. It's probably better to just pay for a cab and go to the consulates yourself. I almost got a 60-day Indonesia visa through a visa agent. But I thought the guy was way too high-pressure, so I canceled it.

Most bus companies have ticket offices at Komtar Complex in the city center, but you may have to board the buses at Sungei Nibong bus station outside of town. Konsortium Express Bus offers a shuttle service that will take you from Komtar to the bus station, for a small fee. I imagine other bus companies do this too. Konsortium has nice buses, I recommend it.

Thailand:
Most Thai-bound buses go through Hat Yai, a border town on the Thai side. RM22, takes about 4 hours.

I've heard from travelers that taking buses to Thailand involves changing buses and long waiting times in between.

It might be more convenient to catch a train at Butterworth. Here's the link to the Thai Railway timetables. The Southern Line goes from Malaysia to Thailand.

Notable stops:

Surat Thani -- the main gateway to the East Coast Thai islands, like Ko Samui, Ko Tao (good place to study diving) and Ko Pha Ngan (the famous full-moon party). 14 hours.

From Surat Thani, you can also take a bus (3-4 hours) to Krabi, the gateway to West Coast Thai islands like Phuket and Ko Phi Phi.

Bangkok -- Thailand's capital. 23 Hours.

Visas: At the time of writing, you only got 14-day visas on arrival if you get there by overland. If you're going to spend more time in Thailand, get a visa in Penang beforehand. You get 30 days if you fly in.

Indonesia:

Ferries from Penang go to Medan in Java. RM150, 5 hours. Boats depart from Georgetown's Swettenham jetty and land in Belawan. The rest of the journey to Medan is done by bus (cost should be included with boat ticket).

Visas: You can get a 30-day Indonesian visa on arrival. If you're planning on traveling around the country for longer, get the 60-day visa in Penang before you arrive.

Cameron Highlands: A Natural High

Backpackers wandering around the BOH tea plantation.

Confession: I hate trekking. It's tiring, sweaty, and dirty. Sometimes it can't be avoided, because in certain places, trekking is really the only thing to do. And the Cameron Highlands is one of the premier trekking destinations in Malaysia.

It was in Myanmar that I first discovered the concept of "hill stations"--where British and European expats built mountain resort towns to escape the heat of their Southeast Asian colonies. The Cameron Highlands was set up in this fashion, as a cool retreat from Malaysia's fierce humidity.

The lower temperatures were a welcome natural alternative to Asia's pervasive air-conditioning. The constant blasts of A/C everywhere sometimes left me sneezing and with a runny nose.

On my first day, I signed up for a tour with Kang Travel and Tours. I figured it would be an easy way to see all the sights in one go.

Our guide, Spencer, welcomed us to the jungle by giving us grass-weaved crowns.


A crowning ceremony

Once anointed, we were ready to tackle the trek. It wasn't that bad, compared to treks I've done in China and Vietnam. The annoying thing was that it had rained the day before, so the whole trail was muddy and wet.

Crossing rivers are always treacherous. While waterfalls and rivers look nice at a distance, they're always a pain in the ass to get across. The wet rocks make it easy to slip and take an unscheduled dunk.


Crossing the river

The longer a trek is, the more I think to myself, "The sights better be worth the walk, or I'll be really pissed off."


Me firing a blow dart at an aboriginal village.

One of the main attractions is the Rafflesia, which is billed as "The World's Biggest Flower." They have very short lifespans, so tour guides are always forced to hunt for fresh ones to show tourists.


A Frenchman almost died in the taking of this photo

This Rafflesia was on the side of a steep hill, which made viewing difficult. I asked a French backpacker to take this picture. He got so involved in framing the perfect shot he almost fell off the hill! I was like, "Dude, it's okay if it's not perfect. Just don't kill yourself in the process."

My favorite part of the tour was viewing the BOH tea plantation. The gleaming green mountains were magnificent, and you could view them comfortably from a hillside tea-shop veranda.


Me with a cup of tea

Tea is always better with good company, and I was lucky to meet Lianne and Andrew on the bus from Kuala Lumpur to the Cameron Highlands. They were a cool couple from England doing an around-the-world trip after graduating from university. A nice way to cap off an education, by doing a world tour.


Me, Lianne and Andrew

Inside Information

Getting there

Bus: A few bus companies depart from Kuala Lumpur's Puduraya bus station. The trip takes about 4 to 5 hours. Kurnia Bistari is one bus company that serves Tanah Rata, the main town in the Cameron Highlands. They depart every 3 to 4 hours, cost RM23.

The KB buses were adequate, but not as nice as other buses I've ridden on, like Transnational. The final 30 minutes of the ride consist of non-stop hairpin turns up the mountainside.

Since buses go to Tanah Rata so infrequently, it's best to plan ahead. Check the schedule at the bus station the day before you intend to go, to make sure you get a seat.

Where to stay

I stayed at KRS Pines, a nice guesthouse. Very clean, but a little too quiet, like being in a hospital. The management own a more budget-oriented guesthouse, Twin Pines, that's supposed to be more social.

Daniel's Lodge has lots of backpackers, but it's gotten negative reviews online. Father's Guesthouse is supposed to be good, but I've heard they're really strict about rules like quiet hours.

What to do

The Cameron Highlands has hiking trails, strawberry farms, tea plantations, and other sights. You can see them independently, or as part of a tour. I went through Kang Travel and Tours (attached to Daniel's Lodge) and had a good time.

Melaka: The Expat's Dream Destination

Melaka, canal-side



Locals walking in the town square

The secret hope of many travelers: to fall in love with an exotic land (or exotic person), and stay there to open up a business. Jim Thomspon is the best example of this, and his traditional Thai house is a landmark in Bangkok. He was a former American secret agent who started a successful silk company in Thailand, built a magnificent antique-style house, collected Southeast Asian art, then mysteriously disappeared in Malaysia.

Melaka was an easy place to like, because it's a "fusion city," a blend of East and West. Along with Hong Kong, Melaka epitomized globalization before it became a buzzword. Even today, the Strait of Malacca (another spelling for Melaka) is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, connecting the manufacturing powerhouses of Asia with its bargain-hungry customers in the West and its oil suppliers in the Middle East.


Houses on the waterfront

The city grew rich in the past by levying a tax on all shipments through its territory. All this trade with foreigners left Melaka with a multicultural character that was so typical of Malaysia. Chinese shophouses, European cathedrals, Muslim mosques and Indian temples were the norm.

Church of St. Francis Xavier

At first, it was hard for me to reconcile how a small city could be so international at the same time. I usually associate multicultural places with major metropolises. You expect a city like Kuala Lumpur to be cosmopolitan. But Melaka was an example what the world could be like in miniature. Go to one street and you're in India. Turn around the corner, you're in China.


Chinese shophouses

I used to think that the price of living in an international city was dealing with all the traffic, pollution, and crowd density of urban life. In contrast, Melaka was a chance to have the best of both worlds: the fun of a melting pot of influences, with the peace of a small town.


Melaka has the most pimped-out bicycle rickshaws in Asia

Richard and Isabelle are a Dutch-French couple that have traveled extensively, in search of that perfect place. I met them through my Canadian friend, Colin. Until recently, the Thai islands were their home.


Richard (The Netherlands) and Isabelle (France), sitting in front of their cafe.

Then they discovered Melaka. Despite seeing other great spots in Thailand and Laos, Melaka was the one that won their hearts. Although buying property and opening a business in Malaysia are difficult tasks, they persevered.

Orang Belanda was the fruit of their efforts, a charming European cafe in Chinatown. Stepping into their coffee shop was like being back in Holland.

While chatting with them over Isabelle's excellent crepes, I fantasized about finding my own sweet spot. The search continues.


Me and Richard with the cafe's mascot, a cow

Inside Information

Getting to Melaka: Comfortable Transnational buses leave from Kuala Lumpur's Puduraya station to Melaka every hour. The ride usually takes about 2 hours.

On arrival at Melaka Sentral, follow the signs to the domestic terminal. Look for buses with "Town Centre" signs. Bus 17 is one. You can take them to the main square with the clock tower and the fountain.

Where to stay

I stayed at Jalan Jalan, a hostel in the heart of Chinatown. It's close to Jonkers Street, which is popular for its weekend night market. One plus is that the dorm doesn't use bunk beds. The downsides are there is only one shower and one (squat) toilet for the whole hostel. Ringo's Foyer Guest House got lots of good reviews from backpackers I met.

What to do

A Hong Kong girl recommended going to Melaka on a weekend, when they have the Jonkers Street night market. Book accommodation in advance, though, because Melaka is a popular weekend destination for people in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The town square is the hub for the main colonial sights.

Getting out

Melaka is a convenient place to get to Singapore and Indonesia. Buses to Singapore take about 4-5 hours. Ferries to Dumai in Sumatra take 2 hours.

Angkor Wat: The Tourist Escape Plan

Angkor Wat: The Temple of Temples

My tour guide was rattling off more boring statistics about temples when I stole a glance at my watch. 11:00 A.M. Maybe . . .

"So we go on to Angkor Wat?" Samnang asked.

"No, take me to lunch," I said.

"Eh?" He checked his watch. "But it is only eleven o' clock!"

"I know, it's okay."

Samnang turned to the tuk-tuk driver and translated my request into Khmer. The driver nodded and steered the tuk-tuk toward restaurant row.

My day in the ancient city of Angkor had not started well. My guide took me to several lesser temples first, saving Angkor Wat for last. Those temples had been clogged with tourists. I couldn't avoid shuffling along slowly behind everyone else, struggling to frame the other people out of my photos. Angkor Wat was the main temple, and it probably was going to be the worst for crowds. How could I get out of this?

Then I had a brainstorm: take an early lunch.

Our tuk-tuk pulled up in front of a restaurant. The guide said he'd wait for me outside with the driver. As I rolled into the restaurant, I took a look around. Empty of people. I found a waitress and ordered some food. She said it might take a little longer to cook. I was the first customer and they hadn't warmed up the oven yet. No problem.

By the time I finished my meal, shortly after twelve o' clock, the restaurant was packed with travelers. Time to move.

I ran out to the tuk-tuk. "Angkor Wat. Now!" The driver fumbled on his helmet and the guide and I jumped in. He revved up and we roared off in the direction of the famous temple.

"It is lunchtime, so there will be very few tourists at Angkor Wat," Samnang remarked.

"That's the plan!" I said.

"Ah!" he said, understanding. "You should have the temple all to yourself until 2:30 p.m."

"Excellent."

Sampang aided my effort by having the driver drop us off near the back entrance of Angkor Wat. As we walked up, I was struck by the serenity and silence. The place really was deserted, except for the forest we passed through. Glimpses of Angkor teased us. The feeling of discovery was exciting.


Angkor Wat through the back door

We stopped by a flimsy wooden fence and chatted a bit. It was unreal, having a casual conversation with one of the great wonders of the world just beyond us.

Finally, I started exploring inside. Turns out Angkor Wat wasn't empty after all. Cambodians were celebrating their Khmer New Year by burning joss sticks and praying to Buddha. Their holiday occured in April at the same time as the water-splashing festival (songkran) in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. Vietnamese New Year (Tet) is different in that it followed China's, usually happening in January or February.


Cambodians praying

I couldn't believe my luck: not only was I dodging tourists, I was also getting to see locals carrying out their traditions too.

All this came at a high cost ot my health. Sampang warned me that I was visiting Angkor Wat during the hottest month of the year (April) and at the hottest time of the day. I sweated my water weight several times over. It got really bad when the metal on my camera burned my fingers, because it absorbed the sun's heat. I thought my camera would overheat and break down.

Although Angkor Wat was certainly massive and spectacular, I wasn't as awed as I should have been. Probably because I wasn't a temple virgin anymore, having been to both Bagan and Sukhothai. Does that make me a temple slut?

One reason I was disillusioned was that Angkor Wat had more visible damage than other temple complexes I'd seen. Bagan and Sukhothai were relatively well-preserved. Angkor Wat, on the other hand, showed the scars of generations of looting and vandalism.


Buddhas get no respect

Samnang explained that wars with Siam (old name of Thailand), French colonization, Japanese occupation, and Vietnamese invasion all had an impact on Angkor Wat. Buddha heads were cut off, whole statues carted away, embedded jewels dug out of walls, etc. Most treasures went on the black market in Thailand and ended up in the homes of wealthy private collectors.

I became fascinated by the behind-the-scenes facts Samnang told me. A Korean hotel company operated Angkor Wat (Sokha Hotel Co. Ltd.), ran the ticket booths and other administration. A veritable United Nations of archeological groups handled restoration for the temples. Teams from Japan, China, India, and France had all sent experts to aid the effort. For more information, see this Los Angeles Times article, Spirit Reset in Stone.

Sadly, the freedom from tourists didn't last. I had to see the obligatory sunset from a hill. Seemed like every famous temple demanded you stay until sunset. This was what I saw.


Sunset at Angkor Wat: tourist hell

Even worse, Angkor Wat was a tiny speck far away in the distance! At first, I couldn't even find it. I walked around the hill in a circle, looking out, and saw nothing. Then a local pointed out Angkor Wat to me. (This shot was taken with maximum zoom)



I was like, "That's it?! That's so bullshit!" Totally not as impressive as the vast landscape of temple ruins in Bagan:


Bagan, now that's a real sunset. (No zoom necessary)

Overall, Angkor Wat is definitely a must-see. But I couldn't help feeling disappointed. I did still have high hopes for the last two temple complexes on my list, but they were in another country.


Lake to the side of Angkor Wat

Inside Information

Visas: Most Westerners can get 30-day visas on arrival. Bring US$20 and one passport-sized photo.

Arrival

Flights arrive at the startlingly modern Angkor International Airport. For a third-world country, the airport is amazingly luxurious, tastefully decorated with Khmer sculptures. It looks more like a nice museum than an airport.

Many hotels will arrange to pick you up if you book in advance. Just make sure to include your flight number and arrival time with your online reservation. Otherwise, you can negotiate with a tuk-tuk driver.

Currency

Cambodia almost universally uses U.S. dollars for any transactions with tourists. Even the ATMs dispense U.S. dollars, so it's a good place to get some if you're running low on hard cash.

Don't bother exchanging money for Khmer riels. You'll get what you need when you receive change. Spend all your riel before you leave Cambodia. Just like other former Indochina countries like Laos and Vietnam, you can't exchange that money outside of the country.

Vietnam and Myanmar also have dual-currency systems. This is where they use U.S. dollars for big travel expenses like hotels and air tickets, and local currency for restaurants and markets. But in Cambodia, everything is paid with U.S. dollars.

Where to stay

I stayed at Mandalay Inn. My room was nice and the service was friendly. For dorms, go to Siem Reap Hostel.

What to do

The main attraction are the temples of Angkor. Angkor is the name of the complex of temples, Angkor Wat is the main temple. You can do them as a tour, rent a bicycle or hire a tuk-tuk for the day. For seeing temples, I've always hired a driver, it's the most convenient way to get around.

Where to party

Pub Street is my favorite backpacker ghetto in Southeast Asia (I can't stand Khao San Road in Bangkok). Restaurants are spacious, 2-story French-style shophouses, stylishly designed and serve good food at reasonable prices. As a bonus, there are street food stalls at one end of the road if you want something cheaper and local. Best of both worlds in one place.

Chiang Mai: Choose Your Own Adventure

On the move at Mae Taeng Elephant Park

"The complete backpacker package" is how my Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget describes the northern Thai city. Couldn't be more apt. Chiang Mai has temples for culture vultures, markets for bargain hunters and nightlife for partiers.

But Chiang Mai is more of a place to do stuff, not see stuff. This became
apparent when I saw the stacks of brochures all over the place. Travel
agencies and guesthouses have binders as thick as phone books about
the tours they offer.

They describe every kind of activity you could imagine: jungle trekking, elephant riding, river rafting, even more shockingly modern pursuits, like go-cart racing and paintball! Looking around at all the travel agencies, guesthouses and tour companies, I could see what Luang Prabang in Laos was trying to become.

Chiang Mai is a fun factory that could keep a traveler busy for months. As much stuff as I did, it was only a fraction of what was available. Browsing through those binders reminded me of the Choose Your Own Adventure books I read as a kid. Except for real.

Here are some of my adventures:


Bamboo river rafting with Maria and Manuel (Spain)


Ox cart riding


Doi Suthep temple

I've softened my stance on tours. I used to be militantly against any and all tours. But now I just hate package tours, where a company controls your entire trip. Day-long tours to visit attractions are fine. Convenient in that they arrange transportation and pick you up at your hotel.

Make sure you're ready to go 15-20 minutes before the tour is scheduled to start. Every time I've done a tour, the guide came to my hotel early. If they say the tour starts at 10:00 A.M., expect them to come around 9:45 A.M. The tour company has to collect guests from different hotels so they can depart from the city on time.

There were a few close calls when I was caught with my pants down--hurrying to finish up my business with the toilet before rushing out to the tour van!

Tours are also good for meeting people. Accommodation in Southeast Asia is so cheap that I often stay in hotels. Great for privacy, but harder to meet people than if I stayed in a hostel. So tours are a good way to socialize.

In places that have so many tour companies, it can be hard to choose one. I think if you like your hotel, it's pretty safe to book tours through them. If you're staying in a backpacker-style place, their tours will probably have younger travelers as well.

Chiang Mai felt like backpacker central. The city's main draw is tourism, it doesn't have a variety of industries like Bangkok. This will sound blasphemous, but I think of Bangkok as being more Thai than Chiang Mai. Yes, Bangkok's more modern, but it didn't seem completely devoted to chasing tourist dollars like Chiang Mai. I've heard if you want to sample traditional Thai life, check out Isaan.

Being a university town, there's a great youthful energy to the place. Cultural classes are as popular as outdoor activities. You can study the language, Thai cooking and many other things.

I found this out when I was having a drink at Rooftop Bar. I met a group of Japanese girls at the table next to mine. After exchanging introductions, we got to talking. Turned out they were all in Chiang Mai to study.


Miho, Keiko and Mayumi (Japan)

"What are you studying?" I asked.

"We study Thai massage," Keiko said. She explained they were training to be physical therapists, and wanted to learn some foreign techniques.

Later, we talked about mistaken identity. Everywhere I went, I got mistaken for a local person. One of my tour guides was surprised to see me when she picked me up at a hotel. Why would a Thai person want to take a tour?

"Sometimes people think I'm Thai," I said. "How about you guys? Do people ever think you're Thai?"

Keiko translated my questions for the others. They answered. She said sadly, "No, people always know we are Japanese."

Inside Information

Getting there

By train: Most travelers go to Chiang Mai via overnight train from Bangkok.
It's a really long ride if you go by bus.

Buy the train tickets at Bangkok's Hualamphong Railway Station. Avoid the
smiling "information officials" who will try to get you to buy train tickets
from the travel agencies. They'll charge you unnecessary commission fees.

The official ticket clerks in the glass booths will speak enough English to
handle a transaction. If you want a sleeper berth, buy your ticket a couple
of days in advance. They sell out quickly.

If you're really keen on getting to Chiang Mai as soon as you land from overseas, you can take airport bus AE4 straight from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport to Hualamphong station.

You might find yourself stuck in Bangkok overnight if all the sleeper tickets are sold out. In that case, you can go to The Train Inn, which is very close to the station. Signs outside the train station will you guide you there.

Here's the rough timetable for the two most convenient trains from Bangkok
to Chiang Mai. Double-check with the ticket clerk before you buy, or with
the State Railway of Thailand. Chiang Mai is on the Northern Line.

No. 13 Special Express Train
Depart: 7:35 P.M.
Arrive: 9:45 A.M. next day
Duration: 14 hours
air-conditioning, no fans
Cost upper/lower bunk: 791 baht / 881 baht

No. 110 Rapid Train
Depart 10:00 P.M.
Arrive 12:45 P.M. next day
fan-cooled, no air-conditioning
Duration: 14 hours 45 minutes
Cost upper/lower bunk: 531 baht / 581 baht

Where to stay

CM Blue House has nice rooms at reasonable prices. It's where I stayed. Julie Guesthouse and Daret's House are popular backpacker places. Beware of guesthouses that have really cheap rooms. They're more likely to pressure you to book tours through them.

What to do

Any guesthouse should have reams of tour-company brochures in the reception area. The company I used through CM Blue House was Sompong Tours. Good prices, air-conditioned vans and cheerful tour guides.

Shopping

Chiang Mai has the most secondhand bookstores I've seen in Southeast Asia. Gecko Books is the most famous, but Backstreet Books is also big. There are about a half-dozen bookstores around Chang Moi Kao Road, opposite Tha Pae Gate.

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is also fun for buying local crafts. Relaxed and charming, great for wandering around.

Getting out

As great as Chiang Mai was, I heard from backpackers that it gets better the more north you go. Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Pai came highly recommended, especially for trekking. Pai is supposed to be a hippie town with lots of art cafes and live-music clubs, and fun for hanging out.

Buses leave from Chiang Mai's Arcade Bus Station. Since Chiang Mai is that last stop on the northern train line, any onward travel has to be done by bus.